To Protect Those You Love
by TVObssessedGirl28
Summary: Cal and Ethan have found out their test results. But, not everything is good news.
1. Chapter 1

One word stood out. _Positive_. All the other words before and after were just smudges of ink. They didn't make sense to him. But the one word that did make sense was the word that he had dreaded since he'd found out about his birth mum. When Cal had opened his and found out his results were negative there was a small glimmer of hope that he too would be negative. But, the minute he saw those eight letters the glimmer of hope was snuffed out. Ethan sighed shakily. He had the gene. He had the illness. This was the beginning of the end. Every day would be a day where every small changes in his behaviour could possibly be symptoms of the disease. The disease that would eventually kill him. How could he tell his brother that he had inherited the gene? And so soon after Emilie had finally passed away. Ethan was still lost in his own thoughts but, Cal had noticed that he'd gone quiet and the expression on his face had changed. A slight knot formed into his stomach.

"Eth?" Cal watched his brother.

When Cal didn't get a reply the knot in his stomach tightened.

"Ethan?" He called again. "Positive or negative?"

But, Ethan didn't respond. He just turned around and walked away leaving Cal confused and worried. Cal tried calling after him, but his calls went unanswered. He watched on as he saw Ethan walk off into the distance towards the crashing waves on the sandy beach. It didn't take long before Cal's heart started beating fast and the scene in front of him turned into a nightmare. He saw Ethan walk towards the water as the waves rolled in. He saw his brother enter the sea and carry on wading through the cold water away from the beach. Fear crept up into Cal's heart as Ethan continued to walk out into the sea.

"Ethan!" Cal yelled as he ran towards his brother.

Ethan was too far to hear Cal call him. And then Ethan disappeared into the rolling waves. Cal ran as fast as he could towards where he last saw Ethan. He ran into the water. All he cared about was getting to Ethan.

"Eth!" Cal yelled again as he felt the cold water rush over him. "Ethan!"

Cal took a deep breath and plunged into the water. As the water stung his eyes he could just make out Ethan's body. Wrapping his arms around Ethan's waist Cal managed to pull him out of the water. He had hoped that once they were out from underneath the crashing waves. Ethan would splutter and begin to breathe on his own. But, that didn't happen. Cal dragged Ethan's body back towards the beach and laid him down upon the sand. He tilted his head so he could hear if Ethan was breathing. He wasn't so Cal pulled out his phone dialled 999 before starting chest compressions. By the time the ambulance arrived Cal had done two rounds of 30 compressions.

"Cal?" Iain asked as he and the new paramedic, Jez sprinted over.

But, Iain didn't need Cal to answer him. He saw Cal doing chest compressions and then saw who he was doing them on.

"Ethan." Iain breathed out.


	2. Chapter 2

Cal followed on behind Iain and Jez as Ethan was rolled into the back off the ambulance. As they passed the bench where he and Ethan had been sitting something on the ground caught Cal's eye. He bent down to pick it up. Picking the piece of paper off the ground Cal realised it was the paper with Ethan's test results.

"Cal!" Iain shouted over as he got into the driver's seat.

Cal quickly stuffed the piece of paper into his pocket and jumped into the back where Jez was monitoring Ethan's vital signs. Iain drove off with sirens wailing and blue lights flashing. Upon arrival they were met by Zoe, Charlie and Rita.

"Yeah, Iain, what do we have?" Zoe asked as Iain opened the back of the ambulance doors.

"This is Ethan. He inhaled some sea water and has been unconscious for the last 30 minutes. He's had three rounds of 30 compressions."

The other three stood in shock for a few moments when they heard who it was. At first they couldn't believe what Iain had told them but, then they saw Cal come out followed by the trolley with Ethan lying on it. Zoe and Rita went ahead with Ethan through to RESUS while Charlie remained with Cal.

"What happened?" Charlie asked as the two of them headed through the doors.

"I don't know. It happened so quickly." Cal responded.

"What happened so quickly?" Charlie inquired.

"Well, we both decided to open up the test results and then the next thing I knew Ethan was walking towards the sea." Cal explained.

Charlie was about to say something else when Cal suddenly remembered the piece of paper he found when Ethan was taken to the ambulance.

"This was on the ground on our way to the ambulance." Cal told as he took out the piece of paper from his pocket. "It's Ethan's test results."

A sudden dread hit him. Cal quickly unfolded the piece of paper and scanned the letter. His heart sank when he spotted the one word Ethan must have seen when he opened it. Cal had to double check. No, it was still there. That one word which had caused Ethan to do what he'd did.

"He's got it." Cal whispered hoarsely. "Ethan's positive."

The paper fell from his hands and his knees buckled beneath him. Cal's whole body shook as the news finally hit him as he knelt upon the floor in the middle of the ED. Charlie picked up the fallen piece of paper and read the results. He too saw the word.

"I'm so sorry, Cal." He said sincerely.

The sound of high heels upon the floor were heard and Cal looked up, tears still falling down his face. Zoe approached him.

"Cal?" She questioned. "Ethan's stable, but he's asleep at the moment."

"Can I go see him?" Cal inquired, getting up off the floor.

Zoe nodded her reply and Cal walked towards RESUS.

"Is everything okay with them?" Zoe asked, turning to Charlie.

Charlie didn't give her an answer instead he handed her the paper. She too was lost for words when she read it. The two of them looked on as they saw Cal walk over to where Ethan lay and pulled up a chair.


End file.
